Synthesis of Molecular Oxygen via Irradiation of Ice Grains in the Protosolar Nebula
Molecular oxygen has been detected in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with a mean abundance of 3.80 ±0.85% by the ROSINA mass spectrometer on board the Rosetta spacecraft. To account for the presence of this species in comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, it has been shown that the radiolysis of ice grain precursors of comets is a viable mechanism in low-density environments, such as molec
